CEBU CITY
(PHILIPPINES) 18 August, 2013- This Sunday the
members of the Lourdes Parish Don Bosco Youth Center gathered
to be part of a different experience. It was not games, it was
not team building activity, it was not gimmick…it was an
experience of witnessing a Baptism done to one of them, Kevin
Polan.
Kevin asked to be baptized into the Catholic Church. His long
preparation to this day of Christening was a fruit, first of
all, by his fellow youth who told their priest-youth director
that he is not yet baptized due to some sort of confusion
especially with his father’s faith. But at last, this lad of
20’s had a chance to decide and dream for his own, that he
willingly embraced Christ even before baptism.
Kevin, aka, “Emo” as he is fondly called in the Youth
Center is an active member of the Sta. Cecilia Youth Choir and
has been frequenting the youth center for quite a long time.
He also volunteered to teach in the “Summer Saya sa Lourdes”
music tutorials. He is friendly and always wears a smile
whenever you meet him. Indeed, Baptism was a sort of formality
because he already carries with him some Christ-like virtues.
During the surprise reception after his baptism, his fellow
youth gave him some affirmations. Then it was followed by his
mother who said,”At last, his dream of being baptized came
true!” And the mother shed tears of joy. Then came his elder
sister’s revelation when she said, “Kevin is a very silent
type person to the point that we considered him very secretive
and even suspected him as an ‘addict.’ But today, we were so
surprised to see that he has lots of friends who treated him
as someone special. We did not really know that this is his
world outside the home and I am so happy that he is in the
company of these happy young people.”
Now that Emo is a baptized Catholic, let his fellow youth who
attended and witnessed his baptism, be good cultivators and
examples for Christian living, carried out with a Salesian
style. Kudos to Emo and may he also inspire others to receive
adult baptism, through his music ministry.
